“A” LEAGUE WEEKLY UPDATE – JANUARY 19, 2023

I WENT TO THE RED WINGS GAME SATURDAY.

SEATED THE FIRST ROW BEHIND THE WINGS BENCH.

NOT TOO SHABBY!

THE MICHIGAN STINGS OWN TREVOR THOMPSON PICTURED.

HAWKS   3     FLYERS   3

Flyers score twice in the games last two minutes – their last goal with the goalie pulled, for the tie!  Trevor Wrobel with their first and final goals.  Ward Peterson with the Flyers middle marker.  Line-mates Dave Rupprecht, Paul Elsey Jr. and Steve Lemieux score for the Hawks.

WINGS   8    BRUINS   2

The Wings snap their four game winless streak in fine fashion as they toy and feast on the Bruins!  Zach Wagner with a 3 & 2 game.  Line-mate Steve Bayagich with a 2 & 2 game.  Steve’s first goal was a beautiful top shelf corner shot!  The absolute best back-checking forward in the league – Scott Chodun with the deuce.  Sub Marcel Dimitri also with a goal.  Rob Giroux with the hat trick assist.  Goaler Joe Polizzi with a very light workload.  Jeff Steiber on a nice backhand top shelf and Rex Baker on a shake and bake move tally for the Bruins.

SHARKS   6    HABS   0

Everything from everywhere was going in for the Sharks this game!  Mr. Greg Stacey with a big four goal game!  John Cornish and Mike Garlick with singles.  Nick Piccolo with three helpers.  Billy Papciak with the twelve save shoutout.  No Habs highlights in this penalty free game.

FLYERS   5    HABS   1

Having a tremendous season, even for him – the league’s leading scorer Trevor Wrobel with the trick!  Winger Ward Peterson with the deuce.  Sub goalie Brian Miller was excellent between the pipes.  The Flyers regular goalie Dar turned in his jersey last week, stating he was not helping the team and probably came back too early from knee surgery.  At this level and especially playing a doubleheader, it is very tough to come back from a serious injury.  There is no doubt in my mind that this storied veteran goalie will be back!  He is too much of a competitor!  Habs sub Micolo with their goal.  The normally fiery Frenchman played with no sense of urgency today.  There was postgame talk of a possible Wednesday night curfew!  “Angry” Joe subbed for the Habs today on his birthday and did not score.  You know what that means – no home benefits!

BRUINS   6     HAWKS   3

The Hawks jump out to an early 2-0 lead on goals from Brian Moore and Steve Lemieux leaving the Bruins to think – here we again, after their game one pasting.  To the Bruins credit, they roar back to defeat the Hawks.  Goaler Gordy Nadolsky was outstanding in nets!  Mike Riddle with a two goal game.  Mike’s second goal was an absolute howitzer from center ice, that went top shelf glove hand!  Singles for Jeff Steiber, Rex Baker and sub Joe Robillard.  Now – I always say that no matter how good a goalie is at stopping pucks at this level – when he comes out of the net to play the puck, nothing good can happen!  Bruins speedy sub Curt Lesnau was racing for a loose puck that the Hawks goalie got too first.  With magician like deftness, Lesnau calming deposits the puck into the yawning open net!  Jamie Smith with three helpers.  John Poolton with the Hawks final marker.

WINGS   8    SHARKS   2

It was rock and roll today for the Wings, who light the lamp 16 times today!  The Wings now sit very comfortably in first place.  Mr. Zach Wagner with a huge four goal game and seven on the day!  Line-mate Steve Bayagich with two goals.  Brother Nate Wagner also scores.  Rob “Larry” Giroux with a career four assist game for seven helpers on the day!  The ageless Terry Boyette with the tour du chapeau assist.  Greg Stacy and Mike Garlick score for the Sharks.

The Detroit Red Wings Vladmir Konstantinov came in second place in the Norris Trophy(Best Defenseman) in the 1996/97 season.

As we all know, his career came to a tragic end weeks later.

Who won the Norris Trophy that year?

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James Norris Memorial Trophy

• Top Defenseman Glossary

96/97